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“I know.” His steady gaze indicated he did understand. “If you sell, the land will bring you a tidy profit. You’ll have a nice cash flow, and no worries about old house problems.”
The words sliced into her heart … and dreams with the sharpness of a knife blade. The tickle rose back up her throat. Anybody who bought her land would tear down the house without a second thought. They would only see an old wreck.
Her old wreck.
“I thought you had the same vision I did,” Vi said through the hurt.
White teeth glimmered through his mustache, giving her hope. “Nothing’s changed there. I’d love to restore your home. The potential for a unique makeover still exists, but the latest trouble isn’t something I calculated in. My job as your contractor is to help you understand the options. I’ll abide by whatever decision you make, but it is your decision.”
Vi’s brows knit. Could she afford it? The nest egg Daddy had left was shrinking by the minute. Rory’s words about the margin of risk ricocheted around in her head.
“Okay. I heard what you said. Please take off the contractor hat for a minute. What does your heart think I should do?” For a moment, Rory’s steady bearing cracked. He stepped closer. As if he wanted to kiss her. Then, he stepped back.
“My heart doesn’t get a vote. Only you can decide.” His last words ended in a rumbly whisper before the wind whisked them away.
Sudden raucous honking kept her from drowning in his eyes. “The goose hears us coming.” She paused on the dirt path next to one boardwalk.
Rory stepped ahead of her onto the bridge. Vi noted the bulge at the back of his waist. “You brought your gun?”
“Yes.” He turned, his eyes appearing silver in the moonlight as he searched her face.
Vi froze in place, absorbing the fact Rory carried a gun.
“I’m serious about the danger of you out here at night.”
Hmm. Still no backing off. For an instant, Vi missed her former perception of him. Every ounce of flirty behavior had vanished. This Rory was formidable.
Rory closed the distance between them. “You get to choose about the financial risk, but your safety is non-negotiable.”
Wow. Did he mean it? She’d never met anyone who said those kinds of things. Her mind catapulted back to Thanksgiving Day when he’d insisted on giving hugs. Her insides tingled. Her blatant non-participation still stung. When he stood this close, she wanted a hug. Rather than throw herself at him, she merely said, “I’m okay with the gun.”
He put an arm gently around her shoulder and squeezed. “You need time to think about how you want to proceed with the house. In the meantime, let’s enjoy your lake.”
Oh, dear. Not helping.
His closeness dispelled the chill. Moonlight streamed through the inky sky, and a burning smell floated on the air. A coyote howled in the distance, and the sound of honking drifted in their direction again. Louder. Desperate to focus on anything besides the man next to her, she said, “Harry wants to say hi. You might want to hang back. He’s not real fond of strangers.”
Vi eyed the bird’s flapping wings. Raising her voice, she said, “Enough. I brought a friend, and we’re taking a walk. No reason to get upset.”
Harry sniffed at Rory, then screeched like a rusty gate. Losing interest, the goose honked his way to the water’s edge. His bright orange feet were neon lights in the marshy weeds, and wet plopping noises indicated fish. Vi took a deep breath as her daily cares receded to a much more manageable level. The two puffs of albuterol had served their purpose.
Rory’s trim form silhouetted against the moonlight. Hands in his pockets, he gazed over the lake at the silver waves undulating across the water. The full moon glowed a buttery yellow color. Vi wanted to capture the moment. Her breath caught, and she turned back the way they came.
They crossed the boardwalk, climbing the gentle grade, neither of them speaking. Once she stood at her car, Rory faced her. “I enjoyed the walk. It’s easy to understand why you’re fond of coming here. Let me know when you’ve decided about the house.”
Turning to go, he pivoted back. “I found an item you might want. Be right back.”
Curious, Vi followed him. He opened the passenger door of the Lexus and pulled out a black object.
“This fell out of the sofa when the guys were angling it through the doorway. Probably stashed between the cushions.” He handed it to her.
Dad’s electronic tablet. He’d tinkered on it the last few months of his life. She’d forgotten all about it. Until now.
Elated, she threw her arms around Rory, kissing him square on the cheek. The impulsiveness she’d worry about later. “Thank you. This means the world to me.” She hurried to her car. A connection with Daddy. Maybe he had sage advice about her house dilemma. Should she stay the course, however pricey, or should she sell?
Rory poured creamer into his mug of coffee, anticipating the knock at the door. Jesse strode in wearing jeans and a blue Peeps’ shirt. Once Vi drove away, Rory knew he needed to verbalize his concerns. But not to Vi. He was her contractor, for heaven’s sake. The description didn’t include hugs or kisses. And he’d barely kept from begging her to go through with the remodel. The tremendous pull of her old house mystified him. Restoration beckoned him at every turn.
Jesse would keep him straight. He and Rory had decided to be accountability partners about the women they dated once they’d returned to the States. Though Rory had second-guessed his commitment several times, he would readily admit they’d both benefited from the arrangement. Saying the hard things the other needed to hear had been difficult, even if Jesse’s advice had proven to be wisdom in disguise more than once.
